BBC TopGear hits newsstands in a new avatar

The auto magazine has undergone changes in its editorial, as well as in its look. The change is a part of a global revamp.

BBC TopGear India, the auto magazine published by Worldwide Media, a joint venture (JV) between BCCL and BBC Worldwide, has launched a refreshed and overhauled version with its May issue.

BBC TopGear was launched in India in September 2005. The India edition of the magazine has undergone a revamp for the first time. The magazine will continue to be priced at Rs 100. It is aimed at the well-read, updated and well-travelled urban male in the age group of 25-45 years.

The overhaul aims to be easier on the eye, with cleaner layouts and elements. The change is a part of the global brand redesign. The UK edition was the first to initiate the change with the January 2011 issue. The revamp is now being implemented across all the 28 global editions of BBC TopGear magazine.

Though the magazine claims to continue to entertain and inform, the new version will have "dramatic and bold covers", as well as expanded sections including Metal, which is rechristened as The News, the First Drives and Car Tests. The revamp includes the changed visual depiction of the lead car and a cleaner masthead.

The News section will have snippets such as Cooltech which talks about the latest in car technology, software or hardware, Greenometer, which is about the latest in green technology, and Carbage, which highlights the "most ridiculous modification jobs". The section will talk about India-exclusive auto launches before they hit the market. First Drives -- one of the new core sections of the magazine which aims to help the reader make an informed buying decision -- will have more sub-sections including the Road Test section.

Debolin Sen, brand publisher, BBC TopGear magazine, says, "For us, it's also the right time for the change. The Indian market's evolving and so is the brand. We are confident about a significant increase in circulation and we are promoting the issue through an all-encompassing campaign."

The magazine plans to continue with The Grid section, a list of 20 best and worst developments from the automobile world in the past month.

The TopGear buying guide section in the monthly will now have an authoritative opinion and will feature editorial panels offering advice on rivals and new entries.

Tarun Rai, chief executive officer, Worldwide Media, says, "BBC TopGear has always been very different from a clutch of similar looking auto magazines. TopGear believes in capturing the joy of driving cars through breathtaking visual spreads. The new TopGear pushes the differentiation even more -- with more news, more features, more test drives and a more exciting layout."

For the record, BBC TopGear was launched in 1993 in the UK and it has 28 international editions today. It claims to sell more than 1 million magazines globally every month.